w. And to no kind of oath was more
latitude given than to such as related to fealty to a chief: for these,
in the constant rebellions which happened year after year, were openly
violated, and without reproach. Not a sub-king in Wales who harried the
border, not an earl who raised banner against the Basileus of Britain,
but infringed his oath to be good man and true to the lord paramount; and
even William the Norman himself never found his oath of fealty stand in
the way, whenever he deemed it right and expedient to take arms against
his suzerain of France.

On the churchmen the impression was stronger and more serious: not that
made by the oath itself, but by the relics on which the hand had been
laid. They looked at each other, doubtful and appalled, when the Earl
ceased his tale; while only among the laymen circled a murmur of mingled
wrath at William's bold design on their native land, and of scorn at the
thought that an oath, surprised and compelled, should be made the
instrument of treason to a whole people.

"Thus," said Harold, after a pause, "thus have I made clear to you my
conscience, and revealed to you the only obstacle between your offers and
my choice. From the keeping of an oath so extorted, and so deadly to
England, this venerable prelate and mine own soul have freed me. Whether
as king or as subject, I shall alike revere the living and their long
posterity more than the dead men's bones, and, with sword and with
battle-axe, hew out against the invader my best atonement for the lip's
weakness and the heart's desertion. But whether, knowing what hath
passed, ye may not deem it safer for the land to elect another
king,--this it is which, free and fore-thoughtful of every chance, ye
should now decide."

With these words he stepped from the dais, and retired into the oratory
that adjoined the chamber, followed by Gurth. The eyes of the priests
then turned to Alred, and to them the prelate spoke as he had done before
to Harold;--he distinguished between the oath and its fulfilment--between
the lesser sin and the greater--the one which the Church could
absolve--the one which no Church had the right to exact, and which, if
fulfilled, no penance could expiate. He owned frankly, nevertheless,
that it was the difficulties so created, that had made him incline to the
Atheling;--but, convinced of that prince's incapacity, even in the most
ordinary times, to rule England, he shrank yet more from such a choic